Even as a kid I enjoyed being seen. My grandfather, Thomas Hill, loved to paint and he shared his love of art with me. Simple praises for my crayon sketches encouraged me to explore my art. Throughout my childhood I heard my parents say, "You definitely have your grandfather's talent, David."
It was often my mother who was praising me, but she didn't consider herself an artist. Instead her sister, Margaret Symmonds gave me my first painting lessons. From those humble beginnings my high school art teacher, Bea Van Meter continued my training and before long my paintings were winning awards.
When it was time to choose a career I was afraid of becoming a "starving artist" so I decided to pursue a high-tech career instead. As my high-tech career flourished, the artist in me truly began to starve.
Signing up for a portrait painting class led by Bob Gerbracht changed my life. Bob inspired me to see things in ways I had never seen before. Over the last decade, I've studied with many talented artists including Bob, Linda Harris, Randy Sexton, Nelson Shanks, Brian Blood, Warren Chang, Sherrie McGraw and David Leffel. Through their mentoring I have learned the art of painting.
After almost two decades of working in high tech I decided to change careers, and four years ago my wife Barbara and I moved to our beautiful home on the California coast in Pacific Grove. I've been focusing on my painting ever since.
A few years ago as Alzheimer's was stripping away my mother's memory she was asked to participate in an art class at her adult day center. My mother had forgotten she wasn't an artist and just picked up a brush and started painting. She came home all excited, you should have seen the pride on her face as she showed me her artwork. "I can't wait to show it to Daddy!" she exclaimed. Of course her father was long gone, but she didn't remember that anymore. The only thing she knew in that moment was that Jean Hill Lazarony was an artist. And that day I learned my true artist lineage.
David Lazarony
June 2010
